Hidden deck fastener

ABSTRACT

Deck clips for fastening surface structure boards which are adjacent and parallel to each other to a transverse underlying substructure have a top portion with two opposed wings, which are inserted into slots or grooves in the side of the surface structure boards. A center section has a vertical spine designed to be installed against the vertical plane of the substructure member, and a bottom section has a protruding attachment device and/or an opening to accommodate a fastener such as a screw or nail.

This is a continuation of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/033,217, filed Mar. 3, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for adhering a surface structure, usually boards, to underlying sub-structures, such as an apparatus for securing adjacent boards to a large sub-structure consisting of various joists.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Structures, including but not limited to decks, docks, steps, roof decks, ramps, gazebos, pool decks, and platforms can and do use the same substructure technique for the purpose of adhering the surface boards. The technique has many elements, including but not limited to, a substructure made up of posts, beams, joist hangers, joists, header, and fascia boards. The purpose of the substructure is to provide a base to which the horizontal surface, made up typically of boards, is laid down and adhered to. Typically, the boards of a horizontal surface are arranged adjacent to one another, and transversely lay across the joists at an angle sufficient to allow them to rest securely and provide an area to fasten them to the joists.

Historically, the surface boards are fastened to the joists using nails or screws. More recently, some surface boards have been fastened to the substructure using hidden fastening devices, sometimes called clips or just hidden fasteners.

Screws and nails as a way to adhere surface boards to the substructure have proven to yield several disadvantages when used in the construction of decks. There is a general dislike of the appearance of the resulting pattern of the head portion of fasteners showing across the surface of the deck. In addition, many fasteners are coated in a color that is not consistent with the color of the deck surface boards, creating yet another unappealing aesthetic result. In many cases, regardless of the fastener used, the result of attempting to drive a fastener through the deck surface board and into the substructure results in the head of the fastener not being completely buried or recessed into the wood. Similarly, the inherent shrinkage of wood deck boards due to moisture loss can cause the board to shrink away from the head, causing the same situation. This is not only aesthetically unattractive, etc., it creates a safety hazard and usually results in the necessity to remove the protruding fastener and re-install it, or another fastener in its place, thus requiring additional installation time and costs.

Other aesthetic issues that may arise during installation are the marring of the surface when setting the head, mushrooming or splintering of displaced material when driving the fastener into the deck board surface, and creating a large hole when removing an installed or partially installed fastener, the head of which has failed to set below the board's surface, or failed when one has to install a fastener through the deck surface board and into a knot present in the substructure. Once installed, many fasteners eventually rust, creating discoloration or bleeding onto the deck surface boards.

While some current existing hidden fastening devices have been designed in an attempt to solve many of these objections to driven fastener installations, existing designs have other limitations, leaving installers with an unsatisfactory solution. For example, some of these devices require installation from the underside of the deck, which is not always possible depending on the space available under the deck. Some devices are two piece/two step installations which are first attached to the bottom of the deck surface board and then require a subsequent precision placement, resulting in increased difficulty and slower installation. Some devices affix to the top of the joists between the boards and into grooves in a predetermined location on the side of the deck surface boards, thus limiting the flexibility to use the same device in different and multiple manufacturer board profiles. The same limited use drawback presents itself more dramatically in the installation of various pre-grooved boards of varying thickness, such as ¾ inch, 1 inch, 1¼ inch or 1½ inch. Many of these devices which affix to the top of the joists between the boards have, by design, smaller scaled parts and fasteners requiring more effort, precision and patience to accomplish installations. Most devices which affix to the top of joists between the boards require additional surface area for clip placement when two deck surface boards meet end-to-end over one joist. These require an extra “nailer block” effectively doubling the joist surface to allow the use of multiple devices and/or fasteners, increasing project costs and requiring additional installation time. Some hidden fasteners have a pre-determined “built-in” spacer used to force spacing between parallel deck surface boards, and can create spacing which conflicts with the manufacturers' specifications or recommendations. This spacer can create a solid width of multiple deck boards which can buckle when the deck boards thermally expand or when the joists shrink due to moisture loss. Many devices which affix to the top of the joists between the boards limit the size of the fastener available for use, due to the spacing available between parallel deck surface boards. The inability to access and remove these clip fastening screws makes it nearly impossible to replace a deck board without damage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a clip fastener made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an edge view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an edge view of another alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is another perspective view of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a deck in which the present invention can be used;

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing how a clip fastener of the present invention is installed;

FIG. 24A and FIG. 24B are elevational and side views, respectively, showing how a clip fastener of the present invention is used;

FIG. 25 is another diagram showing how a clip fastener of the present invention is installed;

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing where the clip fastener of the present invention might be installed in a deck;

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing how a deck is made using the clip fastener of the present invention; and

FIG. 28 is another diagram showing the placement of the clip fasteners of the present invention when used at end-to-end deck board joining locations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1, a clip fastener 10 includes a top section 12 having two opposed wings 14, 16, a center section 18 having a vertical spine designed to be installed against the vertical surface of a joist member, and a bottom section 20 with an attachment device such as a barrel that creates an opening 22 to accommodate a fastener (not shown). Spikes 24 can be provided in the center section 18, if desired, and weep hole(s) 23 can be provided in the bottom section 20, as shown in FIG. 3.

As seen in FIG. 2, the wings 14, 16 can each have a first portion 26 connected at the ends of dual center section spines 28, 30, and second portions 32 extending from the ends of the first portions 26. The first and second portions 26, 32 can have the zigzag configuration shown in FIG. 2, or various other configurations, as will be seen. The first and second portions 26, 32 and the joint between them are preferably flexible, providing a spring-loaded fit when installed in a groove of a board, which can be made of wood or composite material.

In FIG. 2, the first portions 26 both extend from respective ends of the spines 28,30 towards the bottom section 20, and the second portions 32 extend from the distal ends of the first portions at an angle to the first portions away from the bottom section 20. In FIG. 4, a left wing 34 includes a first portion 36 that extends from a distal end of the spine 28 towards the bottom section 20, and a second section 38 that extends from the distal end of the first portion 36 at an angle to the first portion 36 and away from the center section 20. A second wing 40 on the opposite side of the clip fastener includes a first portion 42 that extends away from a distal end of the spine 30 and away from the bottom section 20, and a second section 44 that extends from the distal end of the first portion 42 downwardly from the first section 42 at an angle to the first portion 42, generally towards the bottom section 20.

Similarly, in FIG. 5, a left wing 46 includes a first portion 48 extending away from the bottom section 20, and a second section 50 extending towards the bottom section 20. A right wing 52 includes a first section 54 extending away from the bottom section 20, and a second section 56 extending back towards the bottom section 20.

In FIG. 6, a left wing 58 includes a first portion 60 extending towards the bottom section 20, and a second section 62 extending generally away from the bottom section 20. A right wing 64 has a first portion 66 extending towards the bottom section 20 and a second portion 68 extending away from the bottom section 20.

In FIG. 7, a left wing 70 has a first portion 72 extending perpendicularly away from the end of the center section 18 opposite the bottom section 20, and a second section 74 which extends towards the bottom section 20, and is curved to then extend towards the first section 72. A right wing 76 includes a first section 78 that extends away from the end of the center section 18 in a generally perpendicular direction, and a second section 80 which extends away from the distal end of the first section 78 at an oblique angle to the center section 18, curves and then extends back towards the first section 78.

In FIG. 8, a left wing 82 extends outwardly from the center section 18 and away from the bottom section 20, and curves downwardly away from the center section 18, but generally towards the bottom section 20. A right wing 84 is a mirror image of the left wing 82.

In FIG. 9, a left wing 86 extends away from the distal end of the center section 18 generally downwardly towards the bottom section 20, and then curves upwardly away from the bottom section 20, still extending away from the center section 18. A right wing 88 is a mirror image of the wing 86.

In FIG. 10, a left wing 90 includes a first section 92 that extends in a generally perpendicular direction away from the distal end of the center section 18. A second portion 94 extends generally perpendicular to the first section 92, and a third section 96 extends generally perpendicular to the second section 94, towards the center axis of the center section 18. A right wing 98 is a mirror image of the left wing 90, and includes a first portion 100, a second portion 102 and a third portion 104.

In FIG. 11, the center section 18A has a single spine, not the double spines of the center portions 18 in the other figures. An end portion 106 has a continuous piece extending from an end of the center section 18A which is distal from the bottom section 20. The end section 106 includes a first wing 108 having a first portion 110 extending perpendicularly from the distal end of the center section 18A to the left, a second portion 112 and a third portion 114 which form the left wing 108. A fourth portion 116, a fifth portion 118, a sixth portion 120 and a seventh portion 122 from the right wing. The seventh portion 122 is bent, as shown. The left and right wings are continuous with each other.

In FIG. 12, a left wing 124 has a first portion 126 extending from the distal end of the spine 28 away from the center section generally perpendicular to the center section. A second portion 128 extends from the distal end of the first portion 126 back towards the spine 28. A third portion 130 extends from the distal end of the distal end of the second portion 128. A second wing 132 includes a first portion 134, second portion 136 and a third portion 138, and is a mirror image of the left wing 124.

The clip fasteners of the present invention can be fabricated in several ways, as seen in FIGS. 13-21.

The clip fastener in FIG. 13 is similar to the clip fasteners in FIGS. 1 and 6. The clip fastener is formed of a single piece of metal or other suitable material, the center section 18 having two parallel spines 28, 30, and a substantial width W. The opening 22 is oriented in the direction of the width W of the center section 18, and generally perpendicular to outward edges 12A and 12B of the wings. The wings extend out generally perpendicular to the center of the opening 22 and generally perpendicular in a direction B to a center axis A of the center section (FIG. 2). The clip fastener in FIG. 14 is similar to the clip fastener in FIG. 13, but has spikes in the center section. In FIG. 15, the bottom section 20 and part of the center section 18 are formed of molded plastic, and metal wings or wings made of other material are placed in the plastic.

In FIG. 16, the clip fastener is made of wire, not sheet metal, as in the other figures. In FIG. 17, the clip fastener is made of wire, but the wings have a depth similar to the wings in FIG. 13, for example. Also, the clip fastener in FIG. 17 has a spike or nail 140 which can be hammered into a joist during installation. In FIG. 18, the fastener is similar to the fastener in FIG. 15, but the wings are made of wires, and part of the center section is solid.

In FIG. 19, the center section is made from sheet metal, and is of one piece construction with a single spine in the center section. The center section runs generally perpendicular to the wings. In FIG. 20, a spike 142 is provided in place of the fastener opening seen in FIG. 19. In FIG. 21, the bottom and center sections are made of plastic or other suitable material, and sheet metal wings are inserted in the sides of the plastic.

The manner in which the fasteners of the present invention are installed in decks and used to secure deck boards to joists will now be described.

The clip fasteners of the present invention can be used for outdoor decks, as shown in FIG. 22. In FIG. 22, a deck 200 located adjacent a home 202 has a plurality of spaced joists 204. Deck boards 206 (two shown in FIG. 22) run generally parallel to the long dimension of the deck, and preferably begin at a long edge 208. Additional boards 206 are installed adjacent one another across the joists 204, typically using a gapping device.

The boards have grooves 210 spaced along their inside edges, as seen in FIG. 23. The grooves 210 can be made by the factory, or at the work site. Any suitable vertical groove location may be used, but a groove of ⅛ inch to 3/16 inch thickness in a minimum groove depth of about ⅜ inch is preferable to insure proper installation.

The first board 206 is installed with screws 207 on one side (FIG. 22), with a wing edge 212 of a clip fastener 214 placed in the groove 210, as shown in FIG. 23. If the fastener has spikes, the spiked side of the clip should face the joist. The clip is then pushed downward in the direction of arrow 215 and toward the deck board until it is aligned with its center section in a generally vertical position adjacent a vertical surface 217, as seen in FIGS. 24A and 24B.

The wing of the clip are shaped to insure a snug fit between the top and bottom of the board's groove. However, some bending of the clip, at the wing or backbone structure, is normal.

After the right wing 212 in FIG. 23 is inserted in the groove 210 in FIG. 24A, the clip is rotated in the direction of arrow 218 until the clip 214 is aligned generally perpendicular to the top surface of joist 204. A suitable screw 216 or other fastening device is then driven through the opening of the clip, as seen in FIG. 24B and FIG. 25. The spiked side of the clip should imbed itself slightly into the side of the joist 204 when the screw is secured.

One clip 214 is then secured at selected (preferably all) inner joist groove locations, as seen in FIG. 26, on either side of the joists, insuring that maximum fastener spans, as applicable by building codes, are not exceeded. After installation of the fasteners, a gapping tool (not shown) can be used between the installed board 206 and the next board 206 to be installed. The next board 206 can be held at a slight upward angle and positioned with its grooved side over the protruding left wing of the installed clips, as shown in FIG. 27. The deck board is pushed toward the clip (arrow 218) and down (arrow 220), onto the joist structure. This process is repeated until the entire deck is surfaced. The last board is installed with screws, through its face at the outer edge, as with the first board. Screws 207 can also be used at the ends of the boards, as seen in FIG. 26.

Boards (222, 224) that do not extend across the entire surface of the deck can be butt-jointed, as seen in FIG. 28, by placing a clip (214) on either side of the joist (204) over which the two deck boards overlap. The deck boards can be placed at a 45° angle to the framing structure, if desired, by cutting a small triangular piece of decking to fit in a corner of the deck framing structure, with its grooved side providing the desired angle.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention. 

1. A clip fastener for fastening surface structure boards which are adjacent and parallel to each other to a transverse underlying substructure, comprising: a top section having two opposed wings, which are inserted into grooves in the side of the surface structure boards, the top section extending from a distal end of a center section, the center section having at least one vertical spine designed to be installed against the vertical plane of the substructure member, and a bottom section extending from the opposite distal end of the center section, the bottom section having or providing for insertion of an attachment device.
 2. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the center section has a pair of spines, and the wings each have a first portion extending from respective ends of the center section spines, and second portions extending from the distal ends of the first portions at an angle to the first portions.
 3. The clip fastener of claim 2, wherein the first portions also extend toward the bottom section, and the second portions extend away from the bottom section.
 4. The clip fastener of claim 2, wherein a first wing includes a first portion that extends from a distal end of a first spine of the center section toward the bottom section, and a second portion that extends from the distal end of the first portion at an angle to the first portion and away from the bottom section, and a second wing on the opposite side of the clip fastener includes a third portion that extends away from a distal end of a second spine of the center section, and a fourth portion that extends from the distal end of the third portion at an angle to the third portion and towards the bottom section.
 5. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising at least one spike in the center section.
 6. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising at least one hole in the bottom section.
 7. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising: a first wing having a first portion extending away from the bottom section, and a second section extending back toward the bottom section, and a second wing including a first section extending away from the center section, and a second section extending back towards the bottom section.
 8. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising: a first wing having a first portion extending perpendicularly away from the center section, and a second section extending toward the bottom section and curved to then extend towards the first section, and a second wing including a first section extending away from the center section in a generally perpendicular direction, and a second section extending toward the bottom section and curved to then extend back towards the first section.
 9. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising: a first wing extending outwardly from the center section and away from the first wing and the bottom section, and curving downwardly away from the center section but generally towards the bottom section, and a second wing extending outwardly from the center section and away from the bottom section, and curving downwardly away from the center section and generally towards the bottom section.
 10. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising: a first wing extending away from the distal end of the center section generally downwards towards the bottom section, and then curving upwardly away from the bottom section while still extending away from the center section, and a second wing extending away from the distal end of the center section and the first wing generally downwards towards the bottom section, and then curving upwardly away from the bottom section while still extending away from the center section.
 11. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising: a first wing having a first section that extends in a generally perpendicular direction away from the distal end of the center section, a second section extending generally perpendicular to the first section, and a third section extending generally perpendicular to the second section, towards a center axis of the center section, and a second wing having a fourth section that extends in a generally perpendicular direction away from the distal end of the center section, and the first wing, a fifth section extending generally perpendicular to the fourth section, and a sixth section extending generally perpendicular to the fifth section, towards the center axis of the center section.
 12. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the center section has a single spine, and the top portion is a continuous piece that forms the two wings, the first wing having a first portion extending perpendicularly from the distal end of the center section in a first direction, a second portion and a third portion extending back towards the spine, a fourth portion extending away from the spine in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a sixth portion extending further away from the spine, and a seventh portion extending back towards the spine.
 13. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the center section comprises a first and a second spine, the clip comprising a first wing having a first portion extending from the distal end of the first spine away from the center section generally perpendicular to the center section, a second portion extending from the distal end of the first portion back towards the first spine, and a third portion extending from the distal end of the second portion towards the first spine, at an angle with respect to the second portion, and a second wing having a fourth portion extending from the distal end of the second spine away from the first wing and center section generally perpendicular to the center section, and a fifth portion extending from the distal end of the fourth portion towards the second spine, at an angle with respect to the second portion, and a sixth portion extending from the distal end of the fifth portion towards the second spine, at an angle with respect to the fifth portion.
 14. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the fastener is formed of a single piece of material.
 15. The clip fastener of claim 1 wherein the fastener is made of fire.
 16. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the clip fastener is made of sheet metal.
 17. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the wings are made of wires, and at least a portion of the center section and the bottom section are made of sheet metal.
 18. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the center section is made of sheet metal running generally perpendicular to the wings.
 19. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising an opening in the bottom section.
 20. The clip fastener of claim 1, comprising a spike in the bottom section.
 21. The clip fastener of claim 1, wherein the bottom and center sections are made of plastic, and the wings are made of sheet metal, and are inserted in the plastic. 